School of Information Sciences

Alumna Amita Lonial (MS '09) among 2016 Movers & Shakers

Amita Lonial

Library Journal’s annual “Movers & Shakers” list recognizes professionals who are shaping the future of libraries in a variety of ways. GSLIS alumna Amita Lonial (MS ’09) is among the 2016 class of Movers & Shakers in the “Advocates” category. Lonial is the learning experiences manager at Skokie (IL) Public Library.

From Library Journal:

New to her position as a comanager of Learning Experiences at Skokie Public Library (SPL), Amita Lonial dove right in and “ramped up our programming by 50 percent,” she says. According to nominator Mikael Jacobsen, Lonial’s counterpart at Skokie (and a 2013 Mover & Shaker), the 2014-15 fiscal year saw “an astounding 55,000 people attend[ing] a library program, and this in a community of 65,000.” Lonial brings to the job her passions for social justice and community engagement.

In 2015, Lonial took a leadership role in SPL’s annual educational program, Coming Together, which “seeks to build knowledge of and appreciation for the diversity represented in Skokie and Niles Township,” says Jacobsen. That year the focus shifted from a single culture to the topic of race. Lonial helped select texts and develop programs, which offered particular challenges, she says. “It’s really tough to do public programming on a huge and provocative topic such as race and racism.” Altogether there were 70 programs in the Coming Together series, and over 8,000 people participated. Skokie staff worked with Lonial to coordinate 14 of those events for all ages at the library. Examples of the programs include slam poetry featuring an artist from Chicago Slam Works; Unveiled, a one-woman show offering different perspectives of Muslim women who wear the veil; and a panel on race representations in media.

“Amita is a social and racial justice warrior with integrity,” says Jacobsen. “She sees the problems of the world and attacks them with courage, insight, and energy.”

Tags:
Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Get to know Manas Godha, growth and strategy lead

Manas Godha (BSIS '24) learned how to connect "different contexts, people, and processes with data and technology" at the iSchool. He is putting those skills into practice in his work as the growth and strategy lead at Advaiya.

Manas Godha

AISLE awards to be presented to alumni, adjunct lecturer

Carolyn Kinsella (MSLIS '03), Beverly Frett (MSLIS '04), and Adjunct Lecturer Karen Egan have been selected to receive awards from the Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE). They will be honored at an awards banquet during the AISLE Annual Conference, which will be held from October 5–7 in Champaign, Illinois.

New book explores video standards in film and archives

A new book co-authored by iSchool Adjunct Lecturer Jimi Jones and Marek Jancovic, assistant professor of media studies at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, examines video file standards and the tensions that have emerged between the film industry and the archiving community that is tasked with preserving cultural cinematic productions. 

Jimi Jones

iSchool to present research at the Digital Humanities 2025 conference

iSchool faculty, staff, and students will present their research at DH2025, the annual conference of the Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations (ADHO), which will take place on July 14–18 in Lisbon, Portugal. The digital humanities (DH) conference is the largest event of the international DH community and unites scholars from across the globe. 

2025 ISAA Annual Awards announced

iSchool Alumni Association (ISAA) is pleased to announce the recipients of its annual awards, which were presented at an alumni reception during the 2025 ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition.

School of Information Sciences

501 E. Daniel St.

MC-493

Champaign, IL

61820-6211

Voice: (217) 333-3280

Fax: (217) 244-3302

Email: ischool@illinois.edu

Back to top